BOOM! STUDIOS

Bee and Puppycat #2

Written by Natasha Allegri | Art by Natasha Allegri

"Bee and Puppycat is super cute, but that might be all it has going for it. It's hard to tell if this is intended for a younger audience or for the early 20's crowd. Bee is a completely relatable young woman for the adults but the writing is clearly catered towards kids. There's not much of a bigger narrative going on. Puppycat though is a great character because she's like every real cat. Grouchy, self absorbed and totally unhelpful. Bee and Puppycat #2 is great for your younger sister, daughter or niece, but might be too kiddie for the older crowd." -Jess

Final Score:

7.0

Empty Man #1

Written by Cullen Bunn | Art by Vanesa R. Del Rey

"Cullen Bunn is one crafty son of a gun. His opening pages ring of humble origins, community and faith, then he spends the rest of the book having his characters kill each other and making skin tents. Talk about a false sense of security. The writer does an incredible job of showing much while saying little, our understanding of The Empty Man just as muddled and fractured as the characters dealing with it. Bunn leaves things wildly open to interpretation, allowing minds to run rampant in regards to just how the "virus" manifests itself. There is some truly creepy stuff in this debut, both physically and emotionally, made even more disturbing when you consider this is just the beginning." -Jeff

8.5

Lumberjanes #3

Written by Grace Ellis & Noelle Stevenson | Art by Brooke A. Allen

"In a world of comics full of physically perfect women with a little more spandex than brains, a book like Lumberjanes is a deep breath of fresh air. Mal, Ripley, Jo, April and Molly are trapped in a cave. With no way out they go deeper into the cave. What follows are trials that test their intelligence and resilience. Lumberjanes #3 has so much humor that literally makes you laugh out loud (as all comics should). It's the kind of book that can wear the all ages label proudly as it appeals to any one, of any age and any gender." -Jess

Final Score:

8.9

DARK HORSE COMICS

Star Wars #18

Written by Brian Wood | Art by Stephane Crety

"After struggling early on with a whiny Luke Skywalker and others woes, the current arc of Brian Wood's Star Wars has picked up steam. This climactic issue depicts another big clash between the Rebels and the Empire as the former attempt to flee Arrochar before the entire planet is razed. There's a satisfying amount of action, but also some great Darth Vader-centric material. Vader bucks against the Emperor's control here, and we see the seeds of the fanatical obsession that drives him in The Empire Strikes Back. The art is still problematic when it comes to rendering familiar Star Wars tech and character faces, but Stephane Crety's depiction of the aerial and space battles definitely succeed." -Jesse

Final Score:

8.1

IDW PUBLISHING

Angry Birds Comics #1

Written by Various | Art by Various

"Angry Birds is a juggernaut property. After the massive success of the mobile games, animated shorts and merchandise, a comic book was the next logical step. There are three unconnected stories within this one issue and it helps give the book the feel of watching a cartoon on Nickelodeon. While all three were fun to read there was one definite standout. Aquaman writer Jeff Parker's opener stuck out the most. His tale is funny in all the right ways. He gives all the birds distinct voices and makes the green piggies bad enough to be the antagonists." -Jess

Final Score:

7.1

IMAGE COMICS

Red City #1

Written by Daniel Corey | Art by Mark Dos Santos

"Few genres have such familiar and well-worn tropes as the detective noir story. And Red City has all of those tropes front and center. There's the scruffy detective hero with a knack for landing himself in trouble. There's the femme fatale who lies at the heart of his latest investigation. There are seedy bars and casinos and the riffraff who inhabit them. There's a comfortable sense of familiarity to this series, but there's also a sizable twist. Red City takes place centuries in the future, as humanity and several races of alien have formed a new government that presides over the entire solar system. Whether that twist is enough to offset the more traditional elements of Red City remains to be seen, but it certainly gives this book potential to become something different." -Jesse

6.4

Starlight #4

Written by Mark Millar | Art by Goran Parlov

"Starlight is easily my favorite of Mark Millar's creator-owned projects in quite some time. More than any attachment to stories like Flash Gordon and the Barsoom novels that this series draws so heavily from, it's the sense of wonderment and complete lack of cynicism to Starlight that I find appealing. This is a story about an aged, forgotten hero given a chance to take up his sword and relive past glories. There's no senseless violence or unnecessary mature-readers content bogging down that simple, engaging premise. Goran Parlov's art doesn't hurt either. Parlov pays homage with his tech design work to many sci-fi classics in this issue. from Star Wars to Battlestar Galactica to Iron Giant. It's such a welcome change of apce to see Parlov tackle old-school sci-fi rather than his usual dark crime and vigilante tales." -Jesse

Final Score:

8.6

Shutter #3

Written by Joe Keatinge | Art by Leila Del Duca

"Kate Kristopher’s terrible, awful, no good, very bad day continues as she’s yet again set upon by conspiring (and eerily adorable) sources. Joe Keatinge is creating quite the diverse world here, his characters and set pieces endlessly inventive—any book featuring a triceratops riding, katana wielding assassin is a book worth picking up. That being said, at times the series’ fantastical elements threaten to overshadow Kate’s story. There’s been so much action over the last few issues that we’re still left knowing very little about Kate, and even less as to why she’s being pursued. Keatinge appears prepped to open that can of worms soon, but as of now Kate is relegated to second fiddle behind more interesting characters. Luckily, the art by Leila Del Duca again dazzles, her eclectic cast imbued with boundless amounts of character. Her opening sequence is deceivingly cute, but don’t be fooled—the world of Shutter is never as it seems." -Jeff

Final Score:

8.0

The Walking Dead #128

Written by Robert Kirkman | Art by Charlie Adlard

"The latest issue of Robert Kirkman’s zombie saga is a mostly quiet one that digs a bit deeper into this new world that Rick Grimes and company have helped to create since the downfall of Negan. While there is a bit of zombie action, most fans will probably be a bit disappointed considering the portents of potential death delivered by this month’s cover. However, where this issue succeeds is in its development of characters such as Eugene and especially Carl. Another interesting development are the newly arrived survivors, who seem to have taken the place of Rick’s crew. They are as untrustworthy as Rick used to be and leader of this new group can easily be seen as a counterpart for Rick’s past self. The issue poses an interesting question in the kinds of trouble that Rick’s “past self” will cause for his present self. Charlie Adlard continues to impress with bringing so much life to a mostly dead and colorless world. His designs are also helping to fully express the new society that the survivors have helped to create." -Mike

Final Score:

8.3

Wildfire #1

Written by Matt Hawkins | Art by Linda Sejic

"This is a story about good intentions and how they often pave the way to hell, and in this case, that hell is a burning Los Angeles. Matt Hawkins and Linda Sejic are the co-creators of Wildfire, the first issue of a new story featuring the potential dangers of genetically modified foods. There is an unmistakable point of view espoused in this story, and while it’s certainly an important subject, it might not be something that everyone wants to hear. Very real issues are brought up in this story, and while it’s vital to consider the subjects brought up here, some of it does come off in a heavy-handed way. Regardless of that, Hawkins creates a sympathetic cast of characters here, and while the story may be a little dry initially, a sense of intrigue certainly begins to build towards the end of the issue. While Hawkins handled the writing, Sejic took on the artwork. Her style is evocative of many of Disney’s human animated characters and it’s interesting to see them juxtaposed with such serious themes. But while her pencils are successful, the colors come off as unpolished and a little too computerized." -Mike

Final Score:

7.0

VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

Armor Hunters #1

Written by Robert Venditti | Art by Doug Braithwaite

"Whether intended or not, Aric and his X-O Manowar armor are proving to be the linchpin of the Valiant universe. Much like Unity's first arc, Aric's armor is again the focus of dastardly intent, this time in that it's very existence serves as a beacon to the alien Armor Hunters. There's a lot to digest in this first issue, particularly if you didn't read the book's Free Comic Book Day lead in, yet collaborators Robert Venditti and Doug Braithwaite do their best to make their solid debut accessible to all." -Jeff